


Tethys Rising

by segerge



Series: TASK FORCE [35]
Category: HERO Champions
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-17
Updated: 2016-03-17
Packaged: 2018-05-27 04:49:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6270223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/segerge/pseuds/segerge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(August 2000) To what nefarious purpose is Sergei Varinnikov using the Iron Eagle and SARGON technologies he stole during 'What Happens in Vegas...'?  And worse yet, will Asia survive what he intends to do with them?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tethys Rising

**Author's Note:**

> **warnings** : language, industrial espionage, mistaken identities, not enough punching, insane continental-scale geoengineering project
> 
> * * *
> 
> #### DRAMATIS PERSONAE
> 
> **heroes**
> 
>   * Maj Gen Theodore Jameson, Jr., USA (AKA Ranger), Director of PRIMUS, disgustingly-powerful speedster
>   * Julie Dormyer Hawkins (AKA Ladyhawk), Chairman of the Board of Directors for ProStar, disgustingly-powerful ninja with latent powers of temporal visualization
>   * Dr. Bob Hawkins (AKA Starforce), Senior Research Scientist for ProStar, disgustingly-powerful power-armor wearer/gadgeteer
> 

> 
> **villains**
> 
>   * Sergei Varinnikov (AKA Warlord), President-for-life of the Republic of Central Asia, disgustingly-powerful power-armor wearer
>   * Lincoln Connors (AKA Sargon), fugitive scientist
> 

> 
> **other**
> 
>   * Dr. Aiday Omarov, Senior Scientist on Project Tethys
> 

> 
> * * *

(War Room, Presidential Palace, Tashkent, Republic of Central Asia)

(The War Room is a mess, with several ceiling-mounted monitors fallen and smashed on the floor. As enlisted men clean the debris and attend to the wounded, Sergei 'Warlord' Varinnikov leans on a console in front of a large holographic display which appears to be monitoring the progress of flood waters from the Irtysh River to the remnants of the Aral Sea. His suit jacket is off, and his tie and collar appear to be loose -- almost as if his shirt is too small)

(there is a disturbance at the door, and Ted 'Ranger' Jameson appears, followed by Julie 'Ladyhawk' Hawkins and Bob 'Starforce' Hawkins. Bob's clothes look slightly big on him)

 **Ranger** : "President Varinnikov, are you responsible for the earthquake that just hit us?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "And WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY HUSBAND?"

(President Varinnikov stands straight and turns around. To Ted and Julie's shock, he's actually Bob)

 **Starforce** (indicating the man accompanying Ted and Julie): "He is, and why don't you ask him yourself? He's standing right next to you."

* * *

**NINE HOURS EARLIER...**

(Tashkent International Airport, Tashkent, Republic of Central Asia. Mid-afternoon)

(A USAF-liveried C-32 is debarking is passengers. MGEN Jameson is first out, followed by Julie and Bob)

 **Ranger** (continuing a conversation that started inside the C-32): "...can't USE private transport on an official government mission!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "We still would've gotten here a LOT quicker if we had used our Powerjet."

 **Starforce** : "And have Warlord steal ITS technology as well?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Nerd-boy, *whose* side are you on here?"

 **Ranger** : "The side of common sense, it would seem."

(the party is off the stairs and on the tarmac)

 **Starforce** (looking around): "Don't know why President Varinnikov warned us about the weather. It's actually drier than Dallas."

 **Ranger** (looking around the airport): "Where's NASA's PowerJet?"

 **Starforce** : "Probably off in one of the hangars."

 **Ranger** : "Do we know anything more about what happened?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Other than they declared an inflight emergency and were able to land here at Tashkent, no."

 **Starforce** : "I won't be able to improve on that assessment until I get a look at it." (beat, looking over the tarmac) "Wherever it is."

 **Ladyhawk** : "I'm guessing space debris. They were flying a suborbital skip trajectory over Asia when the Mayday call went out."

 **Starforce** : "Whatever happened, the cockpit was holed at a minimum. The engineer was able to get his pressure suit closed in time and was able to land it. The pilot is still in intensive care for breathing vacuum."

 **Ranger** (to Julie): "Will you be able to fly it back?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Depends on the damage. If it's not too bad and Nerd-boy can patch it up, I should be able to."

(By this time, they're by an SUV whose passenger doors are waiting for them. A Central Asian military officer greets them)

 **Officer** : "President Varinnikov wishes to see all of you in the Palace."

 **Ranger** : "When do we get to work on the stranded airplane."

 **Officer** : "The President wishes you all to relax and work off the jet lag before your experts start tomorrow."

 **Starforce** (getting into the SUV): "So he has more time to take photos and run his own analyses to duplicate it?"

 **Officer** : "Your PowerJet is secure and isolated. You have nothing to fear in that regard."

(Bob looks at Ted and Julie as they enter. The officer enters with them, closes the door, and slaps the bulletproof glas between the passengers and the driver)

 **Starforce** (dubiously): "If you say so."

(the SUV drives off)

* * *

(Tashkent, Republic of Central Asia. 30 minutes later)

(Ted, Julie, and Bob are looking at the urban bustle and construction around them as the SUV heads deeper into Tashkent)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Rapidly-growing city here."

 **Starforce** : "Not quite up to the tech level in the Millenium City rebuild of Detroit, but still..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Where are they getting all the money for this, anyway?"

 **Ranger** : "Oil rights, mineral rights, printing money... and occasionally stealing equipment they're interested in duplicating."

 **Starforce** : "That'd be a great timesaver on research and development."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Any idea how the local population's taking it?"

 **Ranger** : "Julie, the 'Stans are a little out of PRIMUS' jurisdiction."

 **Ladyhawk** : "But you have to hear things, being in DC and all that."

 **Ranger** (quietly clearing his throat and indicating the Central Asian officer with them): "Not here. Not now."

 **Ladyhawk** (beat, looking at their escort): "Got it."

(a few moments later finds them approaching a modern-looking building with lots of Russian onion domes on it, like a cross between the White House and the Kremlin)

 **Officer** : "The Presidential Palace."

 **Starforce** : "Looks new."

 **Officer** : "It was completed two years ago. It serves as the cultural center of our new city, as well as an inspiration on how traditional influences can be combined with modern architecture."

(the SUV pulls up under a portico next to what appears to be an official entrance)

 **Ranger** : "We'll be disembarking outside, then?"

 **Officer** : "There is no need for secrecy or security concerning your arrival. Follow me, please."

(the officer exits first. As the Americans are getting out, he claps his hands and motions to waiting servants)

 **Officer** : "Voz'mite svoy bagazh, prisvoyennykh ikh nomerov" /* Take their luggage to their assigned rooms */

 **Ranger** (to the officer): "Excuse me, are we staying at the Palace?"

 **Officer** : "Yes, General. The president insisted that you be his guests while your experts salvage your nation's damaged spaceplane."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Rather hospitable of Sergei."

 **Ranger** : "And unusual, too." (beat, low voice to Julie and Bob) "Stay on your guard. Sergei wants something from us."

 **Ladyhawk/Starforce** : "Understood."

(as they walk into the cooler air of the Grand Entrance, Sergei is waiting for them. The resemblance between him and Bob is still as unnerving as ever)

 **Warlord** : "General, Dr. Hawkins, Mrs. Hawkins? Welcome to Central Asia!"

 **Ranger** : "We're honored, Mr. President."

 **Warlord** : "I wish I could be more social tonight, but affairs of state demand my attention. It would appear I will have to leave you alone until tomorrow."

 **Ranger** : "That's just as good, Mr. President. We'll all be a lot less jet-lagged tomorrow."

 **Warlord** : "Excellent." (to Bob) "Dr. Hawkins, if I could have a moment of your time after you and your enchanting wife get settled in, I would appreciate it very much."

(Bob looks startled, then looks at Ted for a moment)

 **Ranger** (murmured, to Bob): "What I said out front."

(beat, then Bob nods)

 **Starforce** : "Uh, sure! Fifteen minutes?"

 **Warlord** : "The guards will come get you then."

 **Starforce** : "Oookay then."

* * *

(President's Office, Presidential Palace, Tashkent. 15 minutes later)

(Bob and Sergei are walking into Sergei's office)

 **Starforce** (looking around): "Funny the directions life takes, isn't it?"

 **Warlord** (moving behind his desk): "How is that?"

 **Starforce** : "When we first met, I was just a superhero and you were just the military liaison to the Supreme Soviets. Twelve years later, I'm the Son of Doctor Destroyer and you've created your own nation out of nothing." /* "Piranharecho" */

 **Warlord** : "I would hardly call the inhabitants of the former Soviet Republics which I have annexed nothing, Dr. Hawkins."

 **Starforce** (alarmed): "I didn't mean it that way! I'm not racist..."

 **Warlord** : "You're making me nervous standing there. Have a seat!"

 **Starforce** (sitting down on a couch): "I seem to have that effect on people in charge, for some reason."

(mercifully, tea service from the palace servants interrupts them)

 **Warlord** (indicating the servants): "Tea?"

 **Starforce** : "Water, please."

(Sergei nods, and one of the servants hands Bob a bottled water)

 **Starforce** : "Thank you."

(the wait staff finally leaves. Awkward pause)

 **Warlord** : "Do you remember that seismic engineer I met in Las Vegas last year?"

 **Starforce** : "Lincoln Connors? Yes."

 **Warlord** : "Dr. Connors has been... far more erratic in person than he represented himself via email."

 **Starforce** : "Them's the breaks when you hire supervillains, Sergei. Exactly WHY am I supposed to feel sorry for you?"

 **Warlord** : "I solicited his help for a... project which I have been running since I founded this nation."

 **Starforce** : "And now you're asking ME to help fix his tectonic destabilizer so you can hold all the nations of Asia hostage?"

 **Warlord** (beat): "Tectonic destabilizer... yes, in a matter of speaking. Holding the nations of Asia hostage? Far from that."

 **Starforce** (muttered): "One out of two ain't bad."

 **Warlord** : "How do you do that, anyway? Guess what someone is doing with little to no input data?"

 **Starforce** : "Just luck, I guess." (beat) "Well, that and knowing Dr. Connors' original claim to infamy..."

 **Warlord** : "What Dr. Connors was working on for me is a project code-named 'Tethys'

 **Starforce** (brow furrowed): "Tethys..." (beat) "Moon of Saturn, name of a primordial ocean in Earth's geologic past, name comes from Greek mythology..."

 **Warlord** : "Several primordial oceans, according to my scientists, and that reason is why I used its name. The Caspian and Aral Seas are the largest remnants remaining of the previous claimant to the name."

 **Starforce** : "So... what are you doing?"

 **Warlord** : "Project Tethys intends to revitalize the Aral Sea via seismic geo-engineering."

 **Starforce** : "And why would you want to do that?"

 **Warlord** : "Because the Aral Sea is dying."

 **Starforce** : "What? How?"

 **Warlord** : "A poorly-thought out and even more poorly-executed scheme to turn this section of the Soviet Union into an agricultural powerhouse back in the 1960s. The lands in question had already reverted back into desert when I acquired control of them, and the Sea has split in half due to lack of water from feed rivers and evaporation." (beat) "My science ministry tells me its final evaporation will be in 15 years unless something can be done about it."

 **Starforce** : "You're going to divert water from somewhere to refill it?"

 **Warlord** : "It's a plan almost as old as the one which is currently killing that sea, but has lacked the technology and commitment to execute until now."

(pause while he pulls something up on his desktop computer, then swivels the monitor around to show Bob)

 **Warlord** : "Historically the Aral Sea was fed by two rivers. The Amu Darya to the south, and the Syr Darya to the north. Using seismic subsistence technology derived from Dr. Connors' research, we will be diverting water from both the Irtysh and Yenisei river systems down new flow channels into the Syr Darya."

 **Starforce** : "Both the Irtysh and Yenisei drain to the Arctic, right?"

 **Warlord** : "Yes. The Irtysh through the Ob', the Yenisei directly."

 **Starforce** : "Won't the Russians complain about *their* rivers drying up?"

 **Warlord** : "If our calculations are correct, that won't be a problem."

 **Starforce** : "And who controls the headwaters of those rivers?"

 **Warlord** : "We do. Now."

(beat, then Bob makes an INT roll based on the way the previous sentence was phrased)

 **Starforce** (incredulous): "So THAT'S why you fought that war against China two years ago!"

 **Warlord** : "What you westerners called the 'War of Dzungarian Liberation' was a target of opportunity on my part. The lands are distant from Beijing, they were still recovering from Istvatha V'Han's attack earlier that year, and I needed those headwaters FAR more than they did." /* "The First Dimensional War" */

 **Starforce** : "You know that almost became a nuclear war, don't you?"

 **Warlord** : "Dr. Hawkins? Focus."

(tense pause)

 **Starforce** : "I'll admit that this is all kind of interesting, but exactly *why* are you telling me all this?"

 **Warlord** : "I have reason to believe that Dr. Connors' calculations concerning the tectonic stresses which his generators will manipulate are wrong."

 **Starforce** : "And you would like me to double-check them, correct?"

 **Warlord** : "Exactly."

 **Starforce** : "Seismic engineering isn't exactly a specialty of mine."

 **Warlord** : "But you *are* very good with math." (beat) "According to my experts who are familiar with your fields of research and publications."

 **Starforce** : "Well, yeah..."

 **Warlord** : "Can you do this?"

 **Starforce** (beat): "I suppose I could take a look at them."

 **Warlord** : "Excellent."

 **Starforce** : "Out of curiosity, when does this project go live?"

(suddenly awkward pause)

 **Warlord** : "That's... the problem, Dr. Hawkins."

 **Starforce** : "You're not going live with it tonight or something equally stupid, are you?"

 **Warlord** (beat, rushed): "The seismic generators go live in eight hours."

(shocked pause, held gaze, punctuated only by Bob's slow but violent-sounding facepalm)

 **Starforce** (with growing anger): "And you expect me to DOUBLE-CHECK HIS MATH AND SOLVE PROBLEMS IN EIGHT HOURS?!?"

 **Warlord** : "You will watch your tone of voice in my office..."

 **Starforce** (interrupting, angry): "THE MAN DAMN NEAR DESTROYED THE LOS ANGELES BASIN SIX YEARS AGO DURING THE FIRST FIELD-TEST OF HIS TECHNOLOGY!! AND NOW YOU EXPECT HIM TO SCULPT MOST OF A CONTINENT WITH IT?!?" /* the Real Life Northridge-Reseda earthquake of 1994 */

(tense pause, held gaze)

 **Starforce** (disgusted): "I guess I was two for two on my initial guess about what you were doing with Dr. Connors!"

 **Warlord** : "Will you do this?"

 **Starforce** : "Given that the safety of an entire continent rests on me, I don't have much of choice now." (beat, sighs) "So how are you going to explain my absense to Ted and Julie?"

 **Warlord** : "We switch roles."

 **Starforce** (beat): "WHAT?"

 **Warlord** : "We still look more or less identical. So, you be me and I'll be you. After Project Tethys has switched on and is safe, we can switch back."

 **Starforce** (in disbelief): "You *are* aware that _The Prince and the Pauper_ was a work of fiction, aren't you?"

 **Warlord** : "Read it in military academy. Know your enemy by reading his famous fiction and all that."

(awkward pause, held gaze)

 **Starforce** (muttered): "I can't believe I'm agreeing to this." (louder, to Sergei while standing up) "Where can I change clothes with you?"

* * *

(President's Office, Presidential Palace, Tashkent. 5 minutes later)

(Bob steps out of the Presidential bathroom dressed in an impeccably-tailored three-piece suit which still manages to be too tight on him)

 **Starforce** : "How do you BREATHE with a collar this tight?"

 **Warlord** (looking at the fit of the clothes): "I guess we're not as alike as I assumed we were."

 **Starforce** : "Ten years ago it would have fit just fine." (beat, tugs at his collar) "The second thing Varanyi medical nanotech did to me was to start adding what ended up being 20 pounds of he-man muscle to my body." /* "The Varanyi Civil War" */

(he tosses his clothes to Sergei)

 **Starforce** : "Which means my clothes may be a little baggy on you."

 **Warlord** (entering his bathroom): "I still can't believe you agreed so readily to this."

 **Starforce** : "What choice do I have? If Dr. Connors *did* make a mistake in his calculations like you think he did, the fate of the entire Asian continent could be at stake!"

(a moment later, Sergei steps out dressed as Bob. As feared, they're about a size too big on him)

 **Starforce** : "And another thing. If you're going to be me for the rest of the day, you're walking wrong. Longer stride and quicker rhythm."

 **Warlord** (exasperated): "In these pants? It's a miracle I didn't trip in them with my normal walk!"

 **Starforce** (coldly): "If you wanted me to save your nation so bad you were willing to switch identities with me, you'll find a way to make it work. Not my problem right now!"

 **Warlord** (annoyed): "Aren't you forgetting who's the President here?"

 **Starforce** : "Right now, that would be me. And I'm on the clock to save your nation."

(awkward pause)

 **Starforce** : "Uh, exactly *where* am I going to save your nation?"

(Sergei suppresses a snort of laughter as he goes over to his desk. He only trips on the longer and looser pants once)

 **Warlord** (to intercom): "Guards, I'll be going to the War Room. Please escort Dr. Hawkins back to his quarters."

(the doors to the office open before Sergei can trip his way back over to Bob. Two guards surround him, two stand by Bob)

 **Guards** (to Sergei): "This way, Dr. Hawkins."

(those guards escort Sergei out of the office)

 **Starforce** (internal monologue): [[well whaddya know! This might work after all]] (vocally to his guards) "Take me to the War Room."

 **Guards** (to Bob): "At once, Mr. President."

(Bob barely suppresses a raised eyebrow of surprise as he follows his guards out of the office)

* * *

(Guest Wing, Presidential Palace, Tashkent. 30 minutes later)

(Ted, Julie, and Sergei are at a dinner table, which has a lavish spread of food both on their plates and waiting to be served)

 **Ranger** : "Roast beef, American style. I didn't think his chefs could cook American style!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "That was considerate of the President."

(Sergei works on stuffing his face full of food to hide his facial expression)

 **Ladyhawk** (to Sergei): "What do you think, Nerd-boy?"

 **Warlord** (awkwardly, mouth full): "I think it's pretty good."

 **Ranger** (beat): "Perhaps we should have told him that Texas-sized portions was a figure of speech and not the literal truth."

 **Ladyhawk** (internal monologue): [[why did Ted make that joke and not Nerd-boy?]]

 **Ranger** (to Sergei): "So what's the plan for tomorrow?"

 **Warlord** (beat): "For... what?"

 **Ranger** : "The PowerJet?"

(awkward pause)

 **Warlord** : "I would prefer not to talk shop in a public space. I also don't know yet exactly what needs to be done to it."

 **Ranger** (beat, eating): "Fair enough."

 **Ladyhawk** : "You've got the hull breach to patch in the cockpit at a minimum. Remember?"

 **Warlord** (beat): "Oh, yeah. That."

 **Ladyhawk** (internal monologue): [[you knew about that before we landed here, Bob! Why are you playing dumb?]]

 **Warlord** (looking at Julie's concerned expression, internal monologue): [[crap, almost blew my cover! WHY didn't I ask Dr. Hawkins for things I might need to know before he agreed to switch with me?]]

 **Ranger** : "Bob's got a point. We don't need to be speculating about what the two of you need to do until you have a chance to survey the damage tomorrow."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Fair enough."

(they all resume eating. Julie can't help but to glance furtively at Sergei while they do so)

 **Ladyhawk** (internal monologue while eating): [[what's wrong with Bob?]]

* * *

(War Room, Presidential Palace, Tashkent. 30 minutes later)

(Bob steps out of an adjacent briefing room and looks across the beehive of activity in the War Room. His jacket is off, the top button of his shirt is undone, and his tie is loose. He locates Dr. Aiday Omarov and motions for him to approach)

 **Omarov** : "Yes, Mr. President?"

 **Starforce** (holding up a report): "Please tell me you conducted seismic stress mapping of the fault system under the Altay with something *other* than ground sensors."

(awkward pause)

 **Starforce** (continuing): "Lie to me if you have to."

 **Omarov** (weakly): "Ground sensors were all that we had available."

 **Starforce** (coldly): "That's not good enough. It's possible you've fatally underestimated the extent of the fault network you're tapping." (beat) "What about the Tien Shan Range? Were you able to instrument *it*?"

 **Omarov** : "We're not tapping the Tien Shan..."

 **Starforce** : "Did it not occur to ANY OF YOU that releasing stress in the Altay fault system might trigger a sympathetic release of stress in the plate boundary between the Eurasian and Indian plates?" (beat) "UNDER the Tien Shan?"

(he looks around the War Room some more)

 **Starforce** : "Who's integrating satellite sensors into our feeds?"

 **Omarov** (pointing): "Over there."

 **Starforce** : "Thank you."

(a moment later, he's hovering over the shoulder of a Central Asian Air Force officer and two enlisted)

 **Officer** : "Da, gospodin prezident?"

 **Starforce** : "Auf Englisch, bitte."

 **Officer** : "Sorry, Mr. President."

 **Starforce** : "Do we have some way of back-dooring access into PRIMUS' GRIDIRON platform?"

 **Officer** : "We have official access to UNTIL's Polyphemus satellite. It's the functional equivalent to the American GRIDIRON system."

 **Starforce** (internal monologue): [[Oh, thank God. Yoshi built the energy sensor for Polyphemus based on stuff he licensed from ProStar]] (spoken) "When is Polyphemus' next pass of the Altay and Tien Shan Ranges?"

 **Officer** : "Next two orbital passes can image them. First one in..." (one of the enlisted men shows a quick calculation he did on his monitor) "...forty minutes."

 **Starforce** : "Excellent. I need a full geomagnetic sweep of that area on both passes."

 **Officer** : "Yes, Mr. President." (to the second enlisted man) "Ustanovka datchika prokhodyat tak zhe, kak prikazal prezident." /* Setup the sensor pass just as the President ordered */

 **Enlisted 2** : "Da, ser."

 **Starforce** : "I'll need a signal-averaged 3-d plot of the stress map once the second orbit over the target is finished."

 **Officer** (shocked): "Uh, Mr. President? Our software can't present the data the way you're asking..."

 **Starforce** (interrupting, annoyed): "No problem. Here's how you write the program..."

* * *

(Guest Wing, Presidential Palace, Tashkent. 30 minutes later)

(Sergei has Bob's laptop on and is reading something on it)

 **Warlord** (internal monologue): [[the people of Barrayar have a lot in common with the people of Russia. Who is the author of this again?]]

(he pauses his reading to briefly scroll back up)

 **Warlord** (internal monologue): [[Lois McMaster Bujold. I'll have to make a note of her and get my own copies of this series]]

(Julie walks in wearing only a sport bra and sweatpants, sweating and with a towel around her neck)

 **Ladyhawk** (sultry): "Workout's done, Nerd-boy. Wanna take a shower with me?"

(awkward pause, held gaze)

 **Warlord** (internal monologue): [[Oh. CRAP!]] (verbally) "You don't mind if I pass right now? I'm still feeling jet-lagged from our flight."

 **Ladyhawk** (sultry): "Passing me up for something on the computer? You must be really jet-lagged to do that..."

(she twists the laptop around before Sergei can stop her)

 **Ladyhawk** : "I thought you read this one already."

 **Warlord** (beat): "Sometimes, I like re-reading things."

 **Ladyhawk** (sultry, sitting in Sergei's lap): "Really, now?"

 **Warlord** (internal monologue): [[ohcrap, ohcrap, ohcrapohcrapohcrap...]] (verbally) "Uh, Julie..."

(Julie trails a finger from Sergei's nose down to his shirt collar, sending a very suprising tingle of arousal through Sergei's body)

 **Ladyhawk** (sultry starting to unbutton his shirt): "A little bit of a workout isn't going to hurt you, Nerd-boy! C'mon now..."

(Sergei takes Julie by the waist and gently lifts her out of his lap)

 **Warlord** : "I really need to take a rain-check tonight."

 **Ladyhawk** : "This isn't like you!"

 **Warlord** (nervously): "I'll make it up to you tomorrow. Promise."

(beat, then Julie sighs)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Your loss, Nerd-boy."

(she struts into the bathroom. A moment later, her sport bra flies out of the bathroom and onto the floor next to Sergei)

 **Ladyhawk** (off-screen, sultry): "If you reconsider, you know where I'll be."

(Sergei sits frozen with both dread and desire as the shower comes on in the bathroom)

 **Warlord** (internal monologue): [[Dr. Hawkins is married to HER?!?]]

* * *

(War Room, Presidential Palace, Tashkent. 5 hours later)

(an enlisted man enters, bringing with him a fresh cup of coffee)

 **Starforce** (accepting the mug): "Thank you."

(the enlisted man bows and leaves)

(the workstation beeps, and Bob checks out the window that has just reported back)

 **Starforce** (murmured): "Good Lord. Even their hydrological estimates were off!"

(beat, then he backgrounds the most recent window and sits back in frustration looking at the 3-D geologic stress plot of the Dzungarian Gate region)

 **Starforce** (murmured): "But the water release is gonna be the *least* of my problems unless I figure out how to handle the excess stress release..."

 **Voice** : "Excuse me? President Varinnikov?"

(Bob looks over his shoulder and sees Lincoln 'Sargon' Connors standing in the door with a backpack)

 **Starforce** (crossly): "What?"

 **Sargon** : "I wanted to see Project Tethys be activated."

 **Starforce** : "Oh. Well, the main show's gonna be out in the War Room."

 **Sargon** (trying to see what Bob is doing on the workstation): "What are you doing?"

 **Starforce** (internal monologue): [[oh crap. He really doesn't like it when he's wrong]] (verbally) "Monitoring the project's status."

(Dr. Connors finally gets a good view of the workstation screen)

 **Sargon** : "A geomagnetic stress map. H-how did you get that?"

 **Starforce** : "As a signatory to the Martinez Treaty, Central Asia can request time to use sensors on UNTIL's Polyphemus satellite." (beat) "A move which you could have requested of me anytime in the last twelve months and I would have done for you."

 **Sargon** : "Are you double-checking my work?"

 **Starforce** (beat): "Someone had to. This is my nation we're talking about."

 **Sargon** (eyes slowly going wild): "You... you didn't believe in what I was talking about?"

 **Starforce** : "Not since I discovered your lack of data acquisition has resulted in a three order of magnitude math error."

(Bob turns back around as Dr. Connors starts to hyperventilate. If he was any good at reading people, he would have noticed that Dr. Connors just made his roll to be enraged over somebody questioning his theories or expertise)

 **Starforce** (coldly, focusing on the monitor): "Now if you'll excuse me, I have less than ninety minutes to figure out how to save the continent of Asia."

(Bob perceives something sort of resembling a gun being held to his head from his peripheral vision)

 **Starforce** : "And put that thing away before you hurt someone with it, would you?"

(beat, then he realizes what he just said. He turns to face Dr. Connors, only to be staring down the barrel of something remarkably resembling one of the vibro-cannons from the SARGON armor)

 **Sargon** : "I was a fool to trust you, President Varinnikov. I thought you were different from my so-called peers back in America! I was finally going to get the chance to save millions of lives that was denied me back home!"

 **Starforce** : "Dr. Connors, I seriously do not have *time* for this scene."

 **Sargon** : "I'll show them. I'll show them ALL! If I have to, I'll *force* the world to accept my theories on seismic manipulation, and they'll worship me as their SAVIOR..."

 **Starforce** (internal monologue): [[how do I distract him?]]

(Bob hurriedly looks over Dr. Connors' right shoulder and with a look of alarm on his face shakes his head)

 **Sargon** (turning to look over his right shoulder): "What?"

(Segment 3, DEX 20. That's all the opening Bob needs. The contents of his coffee mug are immediately thrown at Dr. Connors' face, who screams in pain as the hot liquid hits his face and left eye)

(Segment 6, DEX 20. With Dr. Connors at half DCV while partially blinded, Bob springs from his chair, grabs Connors' right wrist with his left hand, and brings his right fist up underneath Connors' now-extended right arm. With an even louder scream of pain, Dr. Connors' elbow joint shatters and he is CON-stunned, dropping the improvised vibro-pistol to the ground)

(Segment 9, DEX 20. Bob assists Dr. Connors' head into the briefing room desk -- hard. Dr. Connors is out)

(by now, the Presidential guard detail has finally showed up)

 **Starforce** : "What, there's no fighting allowed in here because it's the War Room?"

 **Guard** (confused): "Mr. President?"

 **Starforce** (sighs, pointing at the unconscious Dr. Connors): "Lock him up and impound his weapon until I decide who gets to reverse-engineer it."

 **Guard** : "At once, Mr. President."

(beat while two guards pick up Dr. Connors and a third picks up the vibro-pistol)

 **Starforce** (coldly): "While you're at it, you might want to ask yourselves how a complete amateur with a lethal weapon was able to get past all of you and threaten my life just now."

(the guards all pause long enough for Bob to see the expression of fear cross their faces before leaving with their captive and his weapon. Bob leans through the door as they leave)

 **Starforce** : "Dr. Omarov. A moment?"

(a moment later, Dr. Omarov is in the room)

 **Starforce** (showing him the workstation screen): "This is the amount of energy which Dr. Connors' SAR constellation will actually release when activated."

 **Omarov** (alarmed): "Bozhe'!"

 **Starforce** : "Yeah."

 **Omarov** : "How do we reduce it?"

 **Starforce** : "We can't. The stress release needed from the Altay fault system *will* cause a cascade release among most of the Tien Shan fault system as well." (beat) "Just as I feared."

 **Omarov** : "That much energy will cause damage from here into China and India!"

 **Starforce** (grimly): "Yeah."

(beat. An idea suddenly comes to him)

 **Starforce** : "If we can't reduce the amount of energy can we redirect it to someplace uninhabited instead?"

 **Omarov** (thinking quickly): "The Ustyurt Plateau between the Caspian and Aral Seas is mostly uninhabited."

(Bob's eyes flare with hope)

 **Starforce** : "Set it up, Doctor!"

 **Omarov** : "At once, Mr. President!"

* * *

(Guest Wing, Presidential Palace, Tashkent. 88 minutes later)

(Julie finds Ted enjoying the view of Tashkent from an open-air balcony. She's in jeans and a t-shirt now)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Ted?"

 **Ranger** (noticing the expression on Julie's face): "What's wrong?"

 **Ladyhawk** (beat, rushed): "Bob. There's something wrong with Bob."

 **Ranger** : "We're all a little jet-lagged, Julie..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "It's not jet lag, Ted! I've seen him after international flights!"

 **Ranger** : "Well then, tell me what you think is wrong with him."

 **Ladyhawk** : "He's been sitting in our suite just reading his computer ever since Supper!"

 **Ranger** : "When did that become a crime?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Ted!"

 **Ranger** : "Is there anything else you've noticed about him that might be relevant?"

 **Ladyhawk** (beat, then slightly embarrassed): "Well, he doesn't want to have sex with me, for starters."

 **Ranger** : "That's... uncharacteristic of him with you." (beat) "Also too much information, for what it's worth."

 **Ladyhawk** : "And when he picked me up off of his lap, his grip seemed... weaker than normal."

 **Ranger** (musing): "Now that I think about it, his clothes have seemed a little on the loose side since we've arrived here..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Could President Varinnikov have done something to him during their private meeting?"

 **Ranger** : "Like what?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "I don't know! Steal his medical nanotech or something?"

(Julie realizes what she has just said in current context, and works it through to its first conclusions. Shocked pause)

 **Ladyhawk** : "He DID steal his medical nanotech! That would explain everything!! The lack of sex drive, the weakness... He's probably still working off the drugs Sergei used on him to knock him out!"

 **Ranger** : "Julie, let's not rush to conclusions here..."

 **Ladyhawk** (grabbing Ted's hand): "Come on. We need to find out what exactly happened in that meeting between Nerd-boy and the President!"

(Julie drags Ted off the balcony and back into the Palace)

* * *

(War Room, Presidential Palace, Tashkent. 1 minute later)

(Bob is looking over Dr. Omarov's shoulder as he and his technicians are frantically typing commands on their consoles)

 **Technician** (to Omarov): "Eto posledniy blok SAR pereprogrammirovat'" /* That's the last SAR unit to be reprogrammed */

 **Omarov** : "Otlichno." (to Bob, switching to English) "The entire SAR constellation has been reprogrammed as you have directed."

 **Starforce** : "Current status?"

 **Omarov** : "We have a green board on the entire constellation. We're ready."

 **Starforce** : "Time to initiation?"

 **Omarov** : "Forty-five seconds."

 **Starforce** : "Spare time. If there's one thing I absolutely *hate* it's spare time."

(a chuckle of laughter sweeps across the War Room staff that can understand English)

 **Starforce** (crawling under a desk): "Well, then. Get someplace secure and hang on to your butts, people!"

(all standing people find a console to hide under or someplace secure to brace as the final countdown sweeps through 30 seconds)

* * *

(Guest Wing, Presidential Palace, Tashkent. 30 seconds later)

(Sergei is continuing to read Bob's laptop, sipping on an iced tea while doing so. Julie and Ted enter the suite)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Nerd-boy, we need to talk."

 **Warlord** : "Excuse me?"

 **Ranger** : "Just for a few minutes, Bob. That's all."

 **Ladyhawk** (closing the laptop and almost catching Sergei's fingers): "NOW."

(the first shake is subtle, almost unnoticed except for the spontaneous rattle of ice cubes in Sergei's iced tea)

 **Ladyhawk** (Danger Sense going off): "What was that?"

(the second shake doesn't stop, and in fact grows in power. Furniture starts rattling and jumping as the floor begins to flex more and more violently)

 **Warlord** : "EARTHQUAKE!"

(if anything, the shaking is still increasing in power. There is a rumble which seemingly permeates the air around Ted, Julie, and Sergei, coupled with ominous creaks from the Palace all around them and the firecracker-like pops of exploding transformers from somewhere outside)

 **Ranger** (under a table): "I hope the Palace is earthquake-proof!"

 **Warlord** : "Tashkent is close to major faults. I'm pretty sure it is!"

(the shaking seems to go on forever. A bookcase in the lounge falls over with a CRASH!, spilling its books and shattering a vase)

 **Ladyhawk** : "HOW LONG ARE THESE THINGS SUPPOSED TO GO ON?!?"

 **Warlord** : "TWO TO FOUR MINUTES FOR THE BIG ONES!!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "NOT. HELPING!!"

(after three minutes, the shaking finally begins to subside)

 **Warlord** : "That was NOT what Dr. Connors predicted would happen!"

 **Ranger** : "Excuse me?"

 **Warlord** : "We need to get to the War Room. NOW!!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Nerd-boy, we don't know where it is..."

 **Warlord** (frantic): "No time to explain! Follow me!!"

(he grabs Julie's hand and drags her deeper into the Palace, Ted following behind with a very puzzled expression on his face)

* * *

(War Room, Presidential Palace, Tashkent. One second after the Prelude scene)

(shocked pause. Julie alternates between looking at Bob dressed as Sergei by the holotank and Sergei dressed as Bob standing next to her)

 **Warlord** : "Was that earthquake what I think it was?"

 **Starforce** : "If by that you mean Project Tethys, then yes it was."

 **Warlord** : "Its current status?"

 **Starforce** : "Ongoing. I was able to direct the energy Dr. Connors was about to release. The outflow channels for the water you were intending to divert have been created in the locations you needed. Unfortunately, you were correct to suspect his calculations regarding the tectonic stresses his generators were going to tap."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Is there money in the budget for a translator?"

 **Warlord** (to Julie): "Quiet!" (to Bob) "His estimate was low, wasn't it?"

 **Starforce** : "By roughly three orders of magnitude."

 **Ranger** (shocked): "Good God!"

 **Starforce** : "Had those energies been released in the manner originally intended, most of the Asian continent would have been wrecked by the resulting earthquake."

 **Ladyhawk** : "The one we just survived was bad enough as is."

 **Starforce** (weary): "The good news, Sergei, is that your nation and the continent of Asia will live in spite of your errant terraformation project."

 **Warlord** : "You were able to get Dr. Connor's generators reprogrammed in time?"

 **Starforce** : "Barely."

 **Warlord** (beat): "Now what's the bad news?"

 **Starforce** : "I could not reduce the amount of energy that was going to be released."

 **Warlord** (eyes widening in horror): "Bozhe'!" (beat) "You were able to redirect the energy then if you couldn't reduce it?"

 **Starforce** : "Duh."

 **Warlord** (annoyed): "To where?"

 **Starforce** : "The lands between the Aral and Caspian Seas. Your advisors assured me that those lands were mostly uninhabited, and you didn't leave me a whole lot of time to find a better target."

(there is a brief pause as another earthquake shakes the Palace)

 **Starforce** : "To add insult to injury, both *you* and Dr. Connors GROSSLY underestimated the amount of water you were diverting from the Irtysh and Yenisei river systems. The extra water will need to go somewhere, and the subsistence north of your border with Iran will be perfect for receiving it once the Aral Sea starts overflowing."

 **Warlord** : "Wait. *Extra* water?"

 **Starforce** : "If *my* calculations are correct, the reconnection of the Caspian and Aral Seas *should* give your people an order of magnitude more beachfront property than you were originally planning on."

 **Ladyhawk** (muttered): "My brain hurts."

 **Ranger** (shocked): "Bob, what do you mean the Caspian and Aral Seas are reconnecting?"

 **Starforce** (to Sergei): "You wanna take this?"

 **Warlord** (sighs): "During the last Ice Age, both those seas were connected. Inflow came from a river system originating in Lake Baikal that flowed west channeled between the southern front of the Siberian glacier system and the Altay mountains. Outflow was north out of the modern Caspian up the modern-day Volga, west to the Don basin approximately where the modern canal connecting both rivers is, and into the Black Sea."

 **Ladyhawk** (beat): "Oh."

 **Warlord** (to Bob): "How much water are we talking, dare I ask?"

 **Starforce** : "The sea level of the Caspian WILL rise post-reconnection. Russia in general and the city of Astrakhan specifically might have a problem with that."

 **Ranger** (amazed): "Ya *think*?"

 **Warlord** : "What am I supposed to do about THAT?"

 **Starforce** : "Erecting some forcewalls around Astrakhan while a more permanent dike can be built around it MIGHT be a good start."

 **Warlord** : "Astrakhan's in Russia. Not Central Asia."

 **Starforce** : "Then your problem is political, not technical. Don't you have Mr. Putin on speed-dial or something?"

 **Warlord** : "Not since the oblasts of southern Siberia seceded to join my nation after his election."

 **Starforce** : "Then you might want to work on solving that problem, too."

 **Warlord** : "You aren't giving me much time."

 **Starforce** (coldly): "You have a week. That's significantly more time than you gave me 8 hours ago to save this continent." (beat) "Cry me a river, build a bridge, and get over it."

 **Warlord** (angry): "I don't particularly care for your tone of voice, Dr. Hawkins..."

 **Starforce** (interrupting): "And our father wouldn't have approved of your whining."

(Jaw-dropping pause, held gaze)

 **Warlord** : "How did you know?"

 **Starforce** : "I'm the publicly-acknowledged Son of Doctor Destroyer, and you still look enough like me that we were able to impersonate each other to our closest friends and confidants today without..." (brief aside glance at Ted and Julie) "...some of them being any the wiser." 

(beat. Ted can't tell for certain, but it seems like Julie is blushing with embarrassment)

 **Starforce** : "It doesn't take being a Nobel Laureate to figure *that* out."

 **Ranger** : "Changing the subject. Do you have a projection on the boundaries of this new sea that's being created?"

(Bob's fingers fly over the keyboard. On the big screen, a blue crosshatched area fills the Caspian and Aral seas, as well as most of the land immediately between them)

 **Starforce** : "The projected shoreline of the resurrected Tethys Sea should be very close to what's on the screen right now."

(everyone leans closer to the main screen to study it)

 **Ranger** : "What about southern Turkmenistan? It will be all but cut off from the rest of Central Asia once the new sea stabilizes."

 **Warlord** : "The Taqiristani Desert, proximate to Iran?"

 **Ranger** : "Yeah."

 **Warlord** (beat): "That would be a pretty good dumping ground for criminals."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Your very own Australia?"

 **Ranger** : "That's more than a little excessive."

 **Warlord** : "My nation. My rules."

 **Starforce** : "Technically, it's MY nation right now. Remember?"

 **Warlord** : "About that. Is the situation with Project Tethys stable?"

 **Starforce** : "Yes. If there are any glitches from here on out, your staff knows what to do." (beat) "Does this mean I'm no longer you?"

 **Warlord** : "Not any more. Thank god."

 **Starforce** (with a hint of cheerful dementia): "I actually get to wear clothes that fit me once more?"

 **Warlord** : "You *and* me both. Let's go."

* * *

(Presidential Office, Presidential Palace, Tashkent. One hour later)

(Sergei, Ted, Julie, and Bob are all in Sergei's office. Bob and Sergei are now back in clothes that actually fit each of them)

 **Starforce** (to Julie): "You thought Sergei had stolen my medical nanotech?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "I didn't know what else to think! The last thing either Ted or I expected was the two of you deliberately switching places with each other!"

 **Ranger** (to Bob): "And I thought the toaster-augmented pulson rifle you built last year was the most insane thing you've ever done..." /* 'What Happens in Vegas...' */

 **Warlord** : "It still hurt like all hell to be on the receiving end of that gun, no matter *how* ridiculous it looked."

 **Ranger** : "Which reminds me, Mr. President. You are still in possession of United States Government property as a result of the incident in Las Vegas."

 **Warlord** : "Which your government had sold to a private owner through its own inattention, and the plans and financing of which were originally provided to Nichols Research by me. Both of which I can prove under oath in an international court of law."

 **Ladyhawk** (slowly): "So you're claiming you didn't steal the Iron Eagle suit but repossessed it, instead?"

 **Warlord** : "When Nichols Research lost the Avenger contract they were in no position to repay my financial assistance. I had to recoup that investment somehow."

(tense pause)

 **Ranger** : "Well, I had to try anyway."

 **Warlord** : "I would think your President Clinton would be grateful that no one can commandeer the Iron Eagle anymore to attempt to depose him." /* "Home of the Brave" */

 **Ranger** : "He'll be out of office in half a year thanks to term limits."

 **Warlord** : "Or his successor, whoever he may be."

 **Ladyhawk** (uncurling from the couch): "Well, I don't know about anyone else but I'm not here to talk politics." (sultry, to Bob) "Come along, Nerd-boy."

 **Starforce** : "Ninjette, my brain has been on overdrive for so long I'm gonna need to crash for six hours minimum before I can even *think* of sex..."

 **Ladyhawk** (interrupting, still sultry): "You underestimate me. And yourself."

 **Ranger** (interrupting): "Guys?"

 **Ladyhawk/Starforce** : "What?"

 **Ranger** : "Get a room."

 **Starforce** : "Yes, SIR!"

(he gets up and, arm in arm with Julie leaves the Office)

 **Ranger** (getting up and turning for the door): "Well, I better be going too..."

 **Warlord** (getting something out of his desk): "General Jameson!"

 **Ranger** : "Yes, Mr. President?"

 **Warlord** (holding a bottle of vodka up): "Share a drink? One cold warrior to another?"

 **Ranger** (beat, smiles): "Never turn a Russian down when he offers to share a drink."

 **Warlord** (walking around the desk to join Ted): "Is that something they taught at West Point?"

 **Ranger** : "It's something my First Sergeant taught me at my first duty assignment."

(he sits back down as Sergei pours drinks for them, then hands Ted his glass)

 **Warlord** (raising his glass): "Prosit!"

 **Ranger** (clinking his glass with Sergei's): "Prosit."

(they drink. Ranger shakes his head a bit at the strength of the vodka going down)

 **Warlord** : "Robert sounded an awful lot like his father earlier when he dressed me down about Astrakhan."

 **Ranger** : "It's been happening more and more." (beat) "And not by his choice, believe me."

 **Warlord** : "What was it like for him, being revealed to be the Son of Doctor Destroyer?"

 **Ranger** : "Life-changing, and not in a good way." (beat, drinks some more) "When TASK FORCE existed, he was always the team clown. In the heat of battle, he'd say something so outrageous or obnoxious that a couple of times I'd swear the villain du jour would freeze in sheer disbelief."

(Sergei chuckles around his swig of vodka)

 **Ranger** (continuing): "When Doctor Destroyer's technical database told him he was Zerstoiten's son and we confirmed it through genetic testing, it was almost like he died in that moment."

 **Warlord** : "Didn't he also get married at the same time?"

 **Ranger** : "Yes, but think of what he would have been like without Julie by his side these past years."

 **Warlord** : "Oh, I can imagine."

(pause while they each drink)

 **Ranger** : "Why the sudden curiosity, anyway?"

 **Warlord** : "I was an only child growing up. Now, in the prime of my life, the height of my career, I discover that I actually have a younger brother!" (beat, drink) "I just wanted to know what he was like from the people who know him best."

 **Ranger** : "How long have you known that Doctor Destroyer was your father?"

 **Warlord** : "I found out a month after Robert did. The less you know how, the better for purposes of enjoying this drink together."

(Ted snickers into his glass)

 **Ranger** : "And you've kept it secret since then?"

 **Warlord** : "Until tonight."

 **Ranger** : "That was only the people who witnessed that conversation in your War Room. I think it'll stay safe without sending any of them to your new prison desert..."

 **Warlord** (interrupting): "Taqiristan."

 **Ranger** (continuing): "Whatever. The point being, I've seen what being related to Doctor Destroyer has done to Bob first-hand. And in spite of all the industrial espionage you've instigated in the Western world over the past several years, I *still* wouldn't wish that on you." (drink) "Keep that knowledge secret. Keep it safe."

 **Warlord** (refilling their glasses): "You also have one hell of a stick to use on me some day."

 **Ranger** : "That, too. Military strategist, remember?"

(beat, then they both chuckle and clink their glasses together)

* * *

(Tashkent International Airport. The next afternoon)

(A government SUV pulls up to the USAF C-32 being preflighted for its return stateside. Ted, Julie, and Bob all get out as enlisted personnel unload their luggage and transfer it to the aircraft's cargo holds)

 **Ladyhawk** (sarcastically): "Well, THAT was a quick trip."

 **Starforce** : "You would have thought the engineers who built this airport knew about the potential sinkhole underneath the hangar they used for the PowerJet."

 **Ranger** : "It may have been an artifact of the Soviet era, guys. They weren't as particular or as careful as we would have been." (to Bob) "So the PowerJet is a total constructive loss?"

 **Starforce** : "Yes, even before I supervised the placement of the explosives."

 **Ladyhawk** : "So they won't be able to replicate its tech?"

 **Starforce** : "Not now." (beat) "I can't speak for the 48 hours between the in-flight emergency and our arrival yesterday, though."

 **Ladyhawk** : "You could've checked on that while you were playing at being Central Asian President yesterday."

 **Starforce** (annoyed): "I was a little busy trying to save an entire continent at that time. And stressed, too."

(there is a brief tremor of an earthquake underfoot)

 **Ranger** : "Speaking of which, how is the birth of Sergei's new ocean going?"

 **Starforce** : "The Aral Sea should have started overflowing to the west sometime this morning. If we're lucky, we'll be able to get some good photos of it heading back home."

(a limousine and two more SUV's pull up next to their SUV. Guards get out of the SUVs and open the door of the limo for Sergei to step out)

 **Warlord** : "Ah! Just in time."

 **Ranger** (nodding cooly): "Mr. President."

 **Warlord** : "Please accept my personal apologies and that of my nation for what happened to your spaceplane last night."

 **Ranger** : "No offense taken. These things happen."

 **Warlord** : "And have its remains been disposed of to your satisfaction?"

(Ted glances at Bob, who nods)

 **Ranger** : "Yes."

 **Warlord** : "Excellent." (beat, regards the three of them) "All of you should come to visit sometime when it's less stressful! Perhaps when we've located some prime beaches around our new sea and have started some coral reefs to dive on, no?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Wouldn't your new sea be a little cold to support a tropical environment?"

 **Warlord** : "Personally, I don't think so. Technically, however, I anticipate a growth industry in ecological research and engineering for the next several years providing a more definite answer."

 **Starforce** : "Aren't we being a little premature, here? You've got some significant cleanup to perform due to the rather abrupt nature of what happened last night. Plus oil rigs and towns to move out of the way of the floodwaters."

 **Warlord** : "Working that as we speak. I can think ahead, can't I?"

 **Ranger** : "We better get going. It's a long flight back home. It's been... interesting, Mr. President."

 **Warlord** : "Tactfully stated, General."

(Ted nods and boards the airplane. Beat, then Sergei takes Julie's hand and kisses it)

 **Warlord** : "Until next time, Mrs. Hawkins."

(Julie blushes awkwardly)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Uh, goodbye Mr. President."

(she goes up the steps to the airplane, probably a little quicker than social niceties would dictate. Bob turns to follow her)

 **Warlord** : "And brother?"

 **Starforce** : "Yes?"

 **Warlord** (smiling): "You have a remarkable wife."

 **Starforce** (beat, dangerously): "Would you care to elaborate on that statement any further?"

 **Warlord** (grinning): "No!"

(awkward pause)

 **Starforce** (low voice): "Sergei Yureivich Varinnikov, you're *evil*."

 **Warlord** (still smiling): "I *am* a son of Doctor Destroyer, you know..."

(beat, then Bob sighs and climbs the stairs into the C-32, shaking his head)

* * *

(fin)


End file.
